techguy wrote:Hope that this criticism will help to improve things and not just shift the responsibility to others.
You have a great attitude about how to address concerns.
techguy wrote:Suggestions for Zorin 15 Core improvements (user interface):
1. Flash permanently new messages as they arrive, maybe through a symbol or a number, in the tray (right down side of the screen with the already popup notice on the top screen) – very easily we tend to forget that there are messages
2. Add a sound library to choose from – new email arrived, new chat message, new …
3. Change position of deleted or other messages, these interfere with the underneath folders on Files
4. When saving a document the focus remains on search instead of saving as ‘filename’ - in a hurry the file does not save because it is “searching”
5. Please add a shortcut launcher – it is extremely difficult to do a ‘cryptic’ textfile.desktop (often people have to resort searching the internet, sometimes nothing useful to be found) – it is a waste of time
6. Easier or install drag and drop for menu items (in start menu, in task bar or panel, ...)
1-3 : Notifications, Gnome-Shell.
4: Gedit - Gnome Text Editor.
5-6: Gnome-Shell which includes Gnome Panel.
As you can see, each of these programs are part of Gnome Desktop and not developed by Zorin. Those are part of the Desktop Enviroment and while Zorin Core and Ultimate offers them as the base package, you have control. You have Options as to what to do with your machine.
Cinnamon D.E. works almost Flawlessly on Zorin. I know because I install it all the time in order to test projects I am working on for Cinnamon Desktop.
You can use Mate, XFCE or even Fluxbox or Openbox. You have the power. If you don't like Gnome (I don't) don't give them your attention. Give it to another Desktop Environment that has shown itself worthwhile.
Sadly, many have voiced the same concerns you have. For many years.
Gnome disagrees.
You may consider adding your voice to the crowd appealing to Gnome to stop their foolishness. It HAS had some effect in the past... Not on those in charge of Gnome Development, but on the Stakeholders of Gnome that then addressed the development team.
However, we as a community of Linux users can be more open and inviting of QT as an alternative to Gnome and see about encouraging its development.
techguy wrote:General Feedback:
Developers should think in terms of everyday users and not in technicalities. Most of the users are not interested in doing technical things, but doing their job.
This is a big problem in the Linux community. We are not in the technical hyperspace rather in the real world – the simple user. Microsoft already understood this more than 15 years ago. They are working on this.
With such a huge FREE Linux community actively participating in the development, still many did not understand the importance having the user in mind. Zorin is in the right way, but still a long way to go.
After some months of use, spoke to Zorin users and already some start to miss Microsoft Windows – easier to use (installation, parameterize, usability, …). Not only Zorin, but other distros also. Microsoft knows that and plays on that.
Microsofts attitude toward the user is that the user is dumb.
Users must be told what to do and thought for.
As you said above about shifting responsibility, we as users must not shift responsibility away from ourselves, either. I would propose that you and I disagree on this and we stand at opposing sides on a spectrum and what would actually work probably is somewhere in the middle.
As you gave your POV, I will give mine.
Many users just want a free operating system,not to work, but to browse the net, look at cragislist and play games. And when some detail of that Free Operating System doesn't behave as it should or even- merely how they want it to...- Many often will get angry, accusative and abusive with the developer.
And I could argue that Microsoft has taught them this entitled behaviour.
The idea that the users are all diligently working and focused on their jobs is not as accurate as we would like to believe. We are responsible for the maintenance of our homes and our cars. We are responsible for our lawn machines. Our children. Our pets. While Microsoft happily will lift responsibility from us for our computers, it comes at a price and not all of it solely financial.
Microsoft uses OUR Machines as Free Servers for them. And charges the users a fee.
Microsoft is hard to use. Much of the time, installations didn't go right and unlike Linux where I have access to everything and can use "sudo dpkg -i" and whatever else - Microsoft installations come with a Bloated Installer that when it fails, you are S.O.L.
Need customer Service to sort that out? Good luck.
You are right that Microsoft offers more bells and whistles that take your ownership, management, responsibility and control over the machine away as Usability.
But is it? When a package goes south, you can fix it in Modular Linux much more easily than in Windows where you spend a couple weeks trying to figure out some way of making "Microsoft Repair Utility" ACTUALLY work until giving up and forking out booku dallahs to a professional at a shop somewhere.
Microsoft does not merely play on the idea that many users want an easy time with their computer- they encourage laziness and thoughtlessness. The more control you give them, the more they want.
Microsoft appeals to the Lowest Common Denominator and then Force-fits all other users into that mould. Using Microsoft, you don't have a choice.
And what is Microsoft offering us? Windows 8? Vista? Windows TEN!? The most bloated, slowest, resource hogging operating system money can buy? A Brand New machine with average specs can bog down so badly on Windows 10 you are convinced you have some kind of Virus and a 15 year old Notebook will ROCK on Zorin Lite and throw Antix on that beast and see blazing speeds that leaves Microsoft coughing in the dust.
All while offering more User control, modular software, much more adaptive installation with a large variety of installation building at your disposal, no registry, no defragging and NO using your PC as THEIR server.
So, please understand... I do not mean to be rude. However, WE the Users...
Do Not Want Microsoft Linux.Not now, not ever.
We want the responsibility of our machines.
We value User Control over User Friendliness, any day.
The responsibility is not on the developers to pander to every whim of every user. It is on us, to learn, to improve ourselves, every day. To be a Better Linux user each day than we were before. It is OUR responsibility to operate the machine, not for others to operate it for us. It is our responsibility to customize or tweak the settings and the more of that control we give away- the less we will have. Of course. The less we will have to tweak the settings, to customize, to make our machines -OURS.
